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Cost of shipping. Lordy b'gordy!
Cost of shipping. Lordy b'gordy! Posted on [12/05/2020] à 18:36

I love the content that DPG produces. I sympathize with the financial hardship that has resulted from a good-intentioned but, perhaps, naive business sense. I have purchased virtually the entire Heroes of Normandie and Heroes of Black Reach range of products, as well as KS backed HoN: Tactical Card Game and Heroes of Stalingrad.

But the cost of shipping! I'm a Canadian who used to be able to purchase product from local Canadian boardgame retailers. It's been some time since this was an option.

Now my only recourse is to purchase direct from DPG.

Whether I choose the US or World store, the shipping cost averages around 40 euros. That's 60 CAD! Why is shipping from the US to Canada as expensive as shipping from France? Is this the best DPG can do for customers?

I want to keep supporting this company, but the shipping seriously makes me cringe. This gets further complicated when trying to get in on P500 or Pre-Order Campaigns because these products cannot be combined in a single order. I'm left making separate orders that are each costing me an additional $60. Holy cow.

DPG, I know you guys are trying to keep your heads above water, but is there nothing better you can do for Canadians shopping from the US Store than $60 shipping?

Perhaps not, but I just felt the need to express my dismay. Maybe I've just chosen the wrong hobby and should turn to stamp collecting or something.

Thanks for listening,



"Why is shipping from the US to Canada as expensive as shipping from France? "

I think you need to ask the US couriers?

I don't think that there are any games companies that put shipping charges any higher than they need to be, it's just not a sensible business model. The issue is that for small press publishers, which is what DPG is, without the clout to push for a deal then all bets are off.

I've had to pretty much stop supporting Steve Jackson Games in the US because they aren't able to organise cheaper shipping options for UK/EU customers. That's not just direct either. The prices at retail in the UK for anything other than Munchkin are quite a bit above average for such a high profile company. High profile – small size, and, except for the aforementioned Munchkin, small sales volume.

Cost of shipping. Lordy b'gordy! Posted on [12/05/2020] à 21:28

Hi seagles,

I know how you feel. I just placed an order from DPG of around 68E and found out that the shipping cost was 55E from the USA and 50E from France !!! Figure that one out 🙄 . Now the snafu would be if I will have to pay duties fee and if they use DHL ( snafu # 2 ),it will raise the cost of my order by an other +/- 21E. 👿

The usa store didn't have all what I wanted and the stores around here don't keep any new stuff from DPG, only the new games as HoS, nothing else.

That's the price to pay for a hobby you like too much… :mrgreen:

J. 😎

Cost of shipping. Lordy b'gordy! Posted on [12/05/2020] à 22:39

"That's the price to pay for a hobby you like to much…"

Yes, sir. Cheaper than golf, though. Not that I golf. I hate golf.



If you are a huge bulk shipper then you can get a discount rate because when the shipping truck arrives, you fill it. If you only have a few packages, then the cost of the driver and the truck is more per package (effectively).

Depending on distance that goes up fast. The cost of shipping has been skyrocketing everywhere for the last couple of years.

That is a very simplistic view, but hopefully it gives you the general idea.

If you are Amazon and can afford to move stuff by cargo container to a warehouse in country and ship from there, you save a lot. But if you want something bespoke from a small company, shipping is very expensive.

Volunteer Moderator of the English Language Forums


As someone whose shipped a lot of games, your observations are in line with recent changes to the shipping systems. Mailing packages from the US to cananda is extremely expensive. I went to mail a small

box last week and it was 35USD

Cost of shipping. Lordy b'gordy! Posted on [12/05/2020] à 23:00

It's the same here in Europe. I recently shipped a board game via GeekMarket to Japan and it was €45 for a very small package under 1kg.

☠☠☠Heroes of Belgium ☠☠☠

Cost of shipping. Lordy b'gordy! Posted on [13/05/2020] à 01:21

Depending on your location (and the size of your order), another option for Canucks is to find a PO box on the US side, and ship your stuff there. The US store has free shipping over 150 euro, and though that is a lot to be spending at once, as you pointed out, if shipping is 50 euro to Canada (or more), sometimes you might just want to buy more.

Obviously this is only an option if you're in close proximity to the US. This is the case for a lot of ON (from the GTA it's pretty close to Niagara Falls, can make a day trip of it and pop over the river to pick up your parcel, the PO box providers are often literally right across the bridge. From Ottawa it's about an hour south to Ogdensburg, same thing for shipping receivers there), and I suspect it might be similar for some parts of other provinces.

Once you pick up your stuff, simply declare it to customs on your way home, and you only pay the tax (not duties, generally), and as a plus you avoid the brokerage fees from DHL and the like that can really add up on international orders.

Even despite the above, I feel your pain on shipping. It can be particularly hard/frustrating if you're just looking for a small, 10 euro item to complete a collection!


In recent weeks a additional increase on international shipping is easy explained…

The majority of those now grounded long haul passenger planes also used to load some mail, parcels and even cargo. With just what those now almost non existing passenger flights moved between the US and Europe ,Europe and Asia/ Australia, were talking a few hundred tons a day easy

Even with less stuff being shipped by industry, with a lot of businesses being closed over the last month or two (depending on where you are living), there is simply even less spare capacity in those few flights that are still being flown. The only ones that are really booming in this period are the large global courier company's, and those only accept stuff from 3rd party shippers when extra space is available and at premium cost and charter companies, and those only fly when someone pays them to

the alternative is dead slow shipping containers by sea with a 2-6 weeks transit depending on how many stops they make between where your parcel got loaded and it's destination and lets be honest with ourselves… who will say they are happy to wait between 1 – 3 months for their parcel, even if that means paying 1/3 or even 1/2 the shipping cost

Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it

Cost of shipping. Lordy b'gordy! Posted on [13/05/2020] à 03:45

Thanks, all, for the advice and perspectives. I'll likely just pony up for the shipping to get those items I want. Like I said, still cheaper than golf.



Cost of shipping. Lordy b'gordy! Posted on [14/05/2020] à 08:43

In Canada board games come under Toys, and toys aren't subject to Duties. If DHL, UPS, or any other try to charge you (and they will) contact them and tell them you will Clear the item yourself. They'll ship it back to customs, then contact you back to give you the required papers that you will have to take to your customs office to receive your order. I've never had to pay a dime at that point. In Vancouver that office is out near YVR (I believe this is it: https://cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/do-rb/offices-bureaux/396-eng.html); you'll have to find out what CBSA is nearest you.

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